The Auswine Forum

Today's Age carries a report of the damage done by recent frosts in Victorian vineyards. Massive crop losses are expected in Most Victorian wine regions.

See the article at http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/yarra-vineyards-harvest-hopes-laid-waste/2006/10/23/1161455664211.html

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Also lower humidity as well
Our diurnal temps have greater variance now, warmer days colder nights.

It seems that as a whole the climate in my area is becoming more continental

I heard this morning that you can add the Coonawarra to the regions with significant frost damage and it's been reported to be nearer to the 80% end of the range for new buds that have been ruined.

Obviously this, along with the drought, will go a fair way towards reducing the glut in the industry, but what effect do you think it'll have on prices from these and other regions in the short to medium term?

Yeah it will help to clear the glut at the expense of growers.
Fosters wont suffer too much Im sure

Not sure about that, fosters would have to have at least 7000 acres in the limestone coast,

wouldnt like to be a grower services person chasing any fruit over the next few months for fosters though...

Have just got back from a trip to Melbourne and the Yarra Valley. We were at Chandon on Wednesday and I saw the damage first hand. Not pretty neither are all the adjoining vineyards.

Chandon expect to lose 75 % of their crop so the people there say and I think that would be a generous estimate!

Apparently the neighbouring properties had fires burning and the smoke drifted across the Chandon vineyards and the helicopters couldnt see where they needed to be and then it was too late.

............and things don't seem to be getting better:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/20 ... 775741.htm